ST. THOMAS — Department of Labor Commissioner Catherine Hendry announced on Wednesday that the Virgin Islands Rapid Response Team, headed by the Department of Labor Workforce Development Unit, will be providing rapid response sessions to all former employees of Betterroads Asphalt, LLC, at the Job Centers located at 53AB & 54AB Kronprindsens Gade, St. Thomas, and 4KA Sion Farm, St. Croix, on Friday, October 21, at 2:30 p.m.
The move follows an order by a Superior Court judge earlier this month, directing Betterroads to remain in the territory until it had paid severance to all the 70 employees that it laid off. The company claimed in a letter addressed to Ms. Hendry that it could no longer operate in the territory because its financial condition had greatly deteriorated, and that the firm’s main line of credit had been frozen for over two months. The letter further stated that Betteroads had been unable to meet its obligations, and that, “this situation has simply imposed a burden too heavy for the company to bear.”
But the Department of Justice, under the leadership of Attorney General Claude Walker, has fiercely pursued cases such as this one, where firms that no longer want to operate in the territory, or want to decrease employment, attempt to do so without paying their employees severance.
In March, Mr. Walker passionately chided the owners of the Sugar Bay Resort and Spa, declaring that D.O.J. would do all in its power to guarantee that Sugar Bay — the struggling resort that was stripped of its Economic Development Commission (E.D.C.) benefits last year, which was followed by the loss of its “Dreams Resorts” status — pay all that was owed to the over 40 employees who were terminated between December 24, 2015 and March, 2016.
“These workers have worked for Sugar Bay for many years, and they have helped Sugar Bay to become prosperous. So now that this hotel is looking to reduce its staff, it must comply with the law, specifically it must address the issue of severance that’s owed to these affected employees,” Mr. Walker said in March.
According to D.O.L., Rapid Response is specifically designed to ease the impact of layoffs and to assure that workers are offered the full range of benefits available to them. The team is made up of representatives from the D.O.L., other agencies and community organizations. The employees will complete applications for unemployment benefits, and will be introduced to services available for dislocated workers, the release further states.
Information will also be made available relative to community services offered by local agencies which provide help and support to dislocated workers and their families, D.O.L. says.
For additional information, contact D.O.L.’s Workforce Development Unit at (340)-776-3700 or (340) 773-1994.
Feature Image: From left to right: Claude Walker and Catherine Hendry.
Share On Facebook
Tweet It
